


The Blue Room

by telera



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, But nothing sexual, Daddy Kink, Dark images, Disturbing Themes, Emotional Manipulation, M/M, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-28
Updated: 2013-05-30
Packaged: 2017-12-09 20:14:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/777552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telera/pseuds/telera
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal plans a new kind of therapy for Will...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The Blue Room had the power to stop time. At first Will didn't believe it- _couldn't_ believe it. Time didn't even stop for the dead, as they kept on appearing over and over again in his nightmares. He knew he would never find peace in death; quite the opposite, he was pretty sure death would only be another restless, agitated state to inhabit.

 

Sometimes Will wondered in whose nightmares he would appear when he died.

 

-

 

'He's tried everything, Hannibal' Alana sighed 'Medication, therapy... Nothing works on him. And I'm very worried for Will. Going back to the field has been a mistake, and it's taking its toll on him'.

 

'Would he be at least open to tackle a different approach with me?'

 

Alana frowned.

 

'What approach?'

 

But all she got was a tiny smile from her colleague.

 

-

 

 

'What is this place?' Will frowned in confusion.

 

The room had a kid's alphabet on the wall, colourful furniture and a rocking horse. There were toys here and there, Lego blocks on a corner, colouring books and crayons over the table and even a ball pit.

 

'How old were you when your gift... appeared?' Hannibal asked 'Five? Six years old? I don't imagine you ever had a proper childhood. Always the new boy at school, right?'

 

Will surveyed the room, and felt transported to a different reality. He had seen glimpses of this world sometimes, when he drove past a day care centre. He remembered envying the people who worked in such a safe, carefree place, so out of reality and time. But the corpses and mutilated bodies of everyday life had drowned those memories in a bloodbath.

 

'Did somebody die here?'

 

His voice trembled, and his trained eyes surveyed the walls looking for blood splashes.

 

'No' Hannibal replied.

 

'Then why did you bring me here?' Will frowned.

 

'I thought you might like to see it' Hannibal raised an eyebrow 'While we wait for Dr. Bloom'.

 

Will nodded absently. He wasn't aware Dr. Lecter was also a child therapist. He looked around and sat down in a little blue chair. For a moment Will didn't know what to do, but then a book called his attention. _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_. Interesting title. He didn't remember ever reading it, so he opened the book with curiosity.

 

So, a caterpillar was hungry. And the first day he ate through one apple. He was still hungry, so the second day he ate through two pears. Will wasn't sure if that made sense. He turned the page back and started to read again.

 

One apple. Two pears. It wasn't very logical.

 

Will frowned trying to find a pattern, but he couldn't. Still, he continued reading.

 

-

 

In the room next door, Hannibal and Alana watched Will via the live feed of the cameras installed in the Blue Room.

 

'I can't believe it' Alana whispered looking at the laptop 'He's been reading the book for... ten minutes?'

 

'Ten minutes without nightmares' Hannibal said 'No hallucinations, no intrusive thoughts. I think it's very good progress for the first day'.

 

-

 

After a while, Hannibal entered the room with a tray.

 

'I'm sorry, Will. It seems Dr. Bloom had an urgent appointment and she cannot join us'.

 

'OK' Will whispered, putting the book down.

 

'Interesting read?'

 

Will snorted softly.

 

'On the first day, the caterpillar ate through an apple. On the second day, he ate through two pears. I wish the world were that easy'.

 

'It is here'.

 

Hannibal offered him a plate of homemade cookies and Will frowned at them.

 

'I'm not hungry'.

 

Hannibal let it pass, and picked one himself.

 

'I... I think I better go' Will muttered after a tense moment 'Gotta feed the dogs'.

 

'Finish the book first. Or take it home with you'.

 

'Oh no' Will chuckled 'I'm sure your little patients would miss it'.

 

'Finish reading it then' Hannibal gave a hearty bite to his cookie 'I think you'll find the ending very interesting'.

 

 

-

 

Will spent two months to find a psychopath who mummified his victims with paraffin bandages, choking them to death in his homemade cocoons.

 

He suffered from dreadful nightmares for nights on end, and admitted as much to Dr. Lecter. What he didn't confess was that he thought about the Blue Room often. When Will woke up at nights soaked in sweat and watched those girls burn in paraffin, all that he wanted was to feel a sense of safety. Of reality, of simplicity. The caterpillar turned into a butterfly in the tale he had read, because that was the order of things. It was natural, not like this deranged, brutal psycopath who thought he was turning his victims into fairies.

 

The smell of burnt hair and paraffin filled his nostrils night after night, until one day he couldn't take it anymore.

 

'Dr. Lecter, I...'

 

Hannibal was writing something on his desk, and looked up.

 

'Yes, Will'.

 

'I feel silly for asking this, but... Is there any patient in the kid's room?'

 

'No, they only come in the mornings. Why do you ask?'

 

Will gave an uneasy smile.

 

'Do you mind if I...' he gestured towards the room '...while you finish your report?'.

 

'Not at all, Will' Hannibal raised an eyebrow 'Go in, the door's open'.

 

'Thank you' he mouthed, and left the doctor's study to fall into his much anticipated rabbit hole.

 

Alone at his desk, Hannibal continued writing as a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, I don't know where this story is going, or if I'll add more chapters. If I continue, I may well introduce age play and daddykink.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The therapy sessions continue, and they begin to have an impact on Will...

The woman lay splayed on her bed, a ripped nightgown dry with clotted blood around her thighs.

 

‘… incision with what must have been a very sharp blade, probably a machete or a hunter’s knife…’ Beverly was saying ‘… depth and length of the cuts indicate certain skill in performing the incisions, so we’re probably looking for a medicine student or—’

 

‘A new Jack the Ripper’ Jimmy chuckled.

 

‘More like Buffalo Bill’ Brian cut in ‘What did he do with her ovaries?’

 

‘Filled her womb with cotton afterwards, as if trying to stuff a doll’.

 

Will’s eyes focused on the dark pool of blood on the mattress and the voices became muffled around him. The killer had used latex gloves to rip the ovaries and slash them open, as if he were looking for something there. Then he fed them with the remaining of her viscera to the woman’s dog.

 

‘… vicious, cold killer who probably knew the victim as there are no signs of a forced entry’ Jack Crawford was saying ‘Any insight into his motivations, Will?’

 

But Will didn’t answer. He was tired of this world. Sick and tired of so much blood and pain and talking corpses that never found rest in death.

 

‘Will?’

 

He couldn’t take it anymore. He needed to escape, run to a place where the word _ovaries_ didn’t exist. Nor the word _machete_. A world where everything was simple and clear and where time didn't exist anymore. And Will knew exactly where to find it.

 

‘Are you alright, Will?’

 

Will blinked and saw Jack’s concerned face frowning at him. But he didn’t care. He left the crime scene in silence and got into his car.

 

***

 

‘He walked away, Dr. Lecter’ Jack Crawford was saying over the phone ‘He semeed to be… far away, disconnected from reality. I mean, more disconnected than usual. I think his mind just snapped, and I frankly don’t know whether to keep him in the team or to suspend him temporarily’.

 

‘I feel I must apologize to you’ Hannibal replied ‘Will and I have been trying a new form of therapy, and he’s still adjusting to it’.

 

‘I see. But is he alright- will he be alright? He’s not answering his phone, I don’t know where he may be and I fear for his safety’.

 

‘Oh, don’t worry’ Hannibal said looking at the image of the Blue Room in his laptop ‘He’s with me at the moment, I’ll take care of him’.

 

‘You do that, doctor. We need Will Graham back on his feet as soon as possible’.

 

 ***

 

_It is highly significant that the patient has chosen alphabet worksheets to play with. Tracing the dotted words with a felt-tip pen provides a very much needed sense of security and grounds him to a reality that he needs to feel solid and unchangeable. Patient avoids blank sheets, as drawing something from scratch would trigger his fear and imagination, and would turn the page into a symbolic representation of his nightmares._

_Patient does not play with the toys, nor has he tried the ball pit yet. Touch-starved as he is, the chaotic pit is too much of an effort for him to control. No significant attachment yet to any plush toy in particular, as fear of abandonment, death and rejection trumps his need for symbolic comfort._

_Patient needs rules and routine to ground himself in his new reality. Positive reinforcement through oral stimulation advised._

***

 

'Hello again, Will' Hannibal said entering the Blue Room and leaving a tray on the table 'Time to have a snack'.

 

Will frowned at the glass of milk and dish of cookies.

 

'But I'm not hungry' he complained.

 

'Will' Hannibal said in a firmer tone 'It's 4:30 p.m. This is your time for a snack'.

 

Will said nothing, only left the felt-tip pen he was using to trace an 'A' on the worksheet.

 

'Please, put the cap on that pen back'.

 

Will complied in silence, then looked at Hannibal with a half-expectant look on his face.

 

'Good. Now, take your snack. When you have finished, I'll read you a tale'. 

 

***

 

'And is he doing fine?' the small picture of Alana looked concerned on the small window of Hannibal's laptop screen 'You know I don't approve of this kind of therapy, it's-'

 

'Unorthodox, I know' Hannibal cut in as he saw Will had finished the milk on the live feed the camera in the Blue Room was sending to his screen 'But you'll have to trust me on this, Alana. I have to go now. Don't worry'.

 

***

 

'Can you read _Where The Wild Things Are_ to me?' Will asked as Hannibal re-entered the room and surveyed the shelf of books 'It was my favourite book when--' Will trailed off and avoided eye contact 'I loved that book as a child'.

 

'What was it about?' Hannibal asked taking a seat on the rocking chair.

 

'Max was the king of monsters, but they wanted to eat him because they loved him so much'.

 

Will seemed anxious at the memory, and Hannibal spoke in a soft tone.

 

'There are no monsters here, Will. And you eat because you're hungry and it's 4:30 p.m. Not because you love anyone'.

 

Will frowned at that. He pondered the words for a while, as if he couldn't quite understand them. The world he knew didn't work that way. In that other world women had _ovaries_ and men _machetes_ to slash them. A shiver ran down his spine and he shook his head as if trying to shake the thought out of his mind.

 

'Will' Hannibal said laying a warm hand over his shoulder 'You're safe here. You were drawing and having cookies and now it's time for your tale. Listen'.

 

Will nodded and tried to focus on the tale. It was about a kitty who was looking for a box. The first was too big. The second too small. The third too high. The fourth too wide. The kitty was not very lucky, but in the end he found the perfect box.

 

 _'Purr-fect'_ Hannibal said pointing at the word, and Will smiled 'The last box was _purr-fect'_.

 

'Can you read it again, please?' Will asked in earnest, and Hannibal smiled.

 

 ***

 

Alone in his bed that night, Will closed his eyes and saw the Blue Room. He missed it badly, but Hannibal had told him he could come back any time he wanted. That comforted him in a way he couldn't explain. Will took a deep breath and drifted off to sleep. He had restless dreams again, full of vivid images and strange scenarios. One in particular called his attention, the murder scene from that morning, with the empty bedroom and the crumpled bed. But there was no woman lying dead on it, or blood soaking the sheets. Just a big, curious cat who cocked his head at Will and blinked with a low purr.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I don't know where this story may take me. But I get the feeling Will is going to misbehave in the next chapter... ^^


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's therapy in the Blue Room reaches a turning point...

It took Will a couple of weeks to make up his mind, but in the end he accepted Hannibal's invitation. Hesitantly. Awkwardly. He even stammered, damn it. But Hannibal only smiled, and signed Will up for the Blue Room on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

 

'For starters' Hannibal said closing his agenda 'But just remember. The room is available for whenever you need it'.

 

Will sighed in relief. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, and least of all to himself, but he loved to be there. It felt like going back home. Not his home, of course- but the one he never had. The one without fear or nightmares or monsters. There were only cookies and milk in the Blue Room. And Hannibal.

 

And it never occurred to Will to think how was it possible that everything always was exactly as he had left it the previous day. The colouring book open on the same page, the orange crayon where it had fallen on the foam mat. Dr. Lecter had sessions with kids here in the mornings, right? But nobody ever finished his drawings, or his alphabet worksheets. And no kid ever touched the unfinished Lego bridge Will had started days ago. And it made sense. Why would they touch his things?

 

 

***

 

Will woke up every morning at 6:30 a.m. and went to the FBI academy to give his lectures. He talked about paraphilic partialism, dissociative states in psycopaths, the obsessive rituals of compulsive killers and cooling off periods between murdering sprees.

 

And he did so professionally, enthusiastically even. This life -what one night he realised was his _other_ life- had become distant. Misty. Even painless.

 

There were still feathered stags and undead corpses moving around in the lecture hall, sure, but they didn't seem as interested in him as before. They let him be most of the time. Every now and then they poked at him and sniffled him and sometimes even bled for attention. But now Will only smiled at them politely and waited until they disappeared. He couldn't understand their whispers anymore.

 

***

 

'... wanted to thank you. Will is... well, I thought I'd never say this, but he seems... _relaxed._ Calmed. At peace, even. I don't know what drugs you have him on, but everybody in the team is amazed. Alana, even'.

 

'No drugs, Jack' Hannibal replied over the phone 'Just good old fashioned therapy'.

 

'I might have to book an appointment for one of your sessions then, doctor' Jack joked.

 

'It wouldn't work on you, Jack. Will is a rather... special patient. But I'd love to have you for dinner next Wednesday, if you are available'.

 

'Sure thing, doctor. I'll bring the wine'.

 

***

 

 _'Five little cookies in the bakery shop. Shinning bright with the sugar on top. Along comes Will with a nickel to pay. He buys a cookie and takes it away_ '.

 

Will beamed as he picked one of the cookies Hannibal offered him.

 

'I hope you like them. I put a very special ingredient in them today'.

 

'What was it?'

 

Hannibal smiled warmly.

 

'Chocolate chips, of course'.

 

Will gave a hearty bite to the cookie, then showed Hannibal the drawing he was working on.

 

'Let's see... This is very good, Will' he praised 'What is this?' he asked pointing at a patch of blue.

 

'It's a rainy cloud that crossed the ocean from England. It came to say hello to the rainbow here and the doggies here'.

 

'Excellent' Hannibal muttered, and placed the straw of the milk glass on Will's lips 'I have a surprise for you. Since you've been so good this week, we're going to grow lima beans in a plastic bag using paper towel. Have you done that before?'

 

Will shook his head as he finished the milk.

 

'It's great fun. I'll get all the things we need from the kitchen and we'll begin. You can finish the drawing in the meantime. I'd like to put it in the fridge with a magnet when you're done'.

 

Will smiled with a carefree, easy innocence that took Hannibal's breath away. He was so full of trust and devotion, literally bursting with an urgent need to please. Will had never looked more beautiful.

 

Hannibal left the Blue Room and moved to the adjacent one, where his laptop showed him a perfect view of Will. He would only have to wait twenty minutes for the Bethanechol in the milk to kick in.

 

***

 

Will became sleepy before finishing the drawing. He wanted to stay awake to plant those lima beans, but he was sure Hannibal wouldn't mind him dozing off for five minutes.

 

Only five.

 

***

 

The sight that welcomed Hannibal when he re-entered the Blue Room was priceless. Good Will was standing in the middle of the room, his face tear stained and red as a dark patch of wetness bloomed down his pants to leak on the foam mat.

 

'I...' he sniffled 'I don't know what happened, I... I'm so sorry' his voice broke and he started to sob.

 

'You had an accident?' Hannibal asked as he left the lima beans and the rest of the materials on the table.

 

'I... I don't understand' Will looked away and rubbed his nose on his sleeve as Hannibal examined his pants 'I was sleepy and when I woke up--' he hiccuped 'I'm-m- so-so-ssorry' he stammered.

 

And Hannibal thought he had never heard sweeter music than that.

 

'Don't worry, please' he said in a reassuring tone 'It's nothing to be ashamed of. Come with me, we'll go to the bathroom to get you cleaned and changed'.

 

Will was so anxious and embarrassed about his accident that he couldn't remember much of what happened next. Only a green bathroom and a gentle washcloth and a fluffy towel around his waist.

 

'I think these pants will fit you' he remembered hearing, and then the soft fabric of freshly ironed pants that made him feel strangely cozy.

 

He was back in the safety of the Blue Room after a while, and the foam mat was clean again. It was as if nothing had happened, but Will still remembered, and the memory made him so anxious that he took his thumb to his mouth to bite the nail.

 

'Uh uh' Hannibal caught Will's hand before he could bite it 'I'll have none of that here. Come' he said patting his lap as he sat down on the rocking chair.

 

Will looked down and wrung his hands in anguish.

 

'Please, don't. I'm ve-very sorry'.

 

'Will' Hannibal sighed leaning forward 'I'm not going to hurt you. I only want you to sit here, with me'.

 

Hannibal patted his thigh again and the old belt of Will's father appeared out of nowhere in the Blue Room, slithering like a black snake up Hannibal's leg.

 

'Y-You promise?' Will whispered.

 

Hannibal smiled a warm, inviting smile and crossed his fingers over his chest.

 

'I cross my heart and hope to die' he reassured, and Will finally dragged his feet towards the rocking chair. He sat on Hannibal's thigh gingerly, awkwardly, as if trying to keep all of his weight off him and not to step on the snaky belt.

 

Hannibal took Will's glasses off to get his full attention and looked him in the eye.

 

'I want you to know' he began with a low, gentle voice 'That no matter what you do, I'm proud of you'.

 

Will frowned confused.

 

'Very proud' Hannibal rose an eyebrow for emphasis 'You're such a brilliant, talented boy, nothing that you do will ever change that'.

 

'Y-you think so?'

 

Will's voice still trembled, and Hannibal nodded.

 

'You're creative and clever. Good hearted. Compassionate. There is no one like you out there, Will. You're truly unique, and this little accident cannot change that'.

 

Will's bottom lip trembled, and he tried very hard not to cry. He had heard those words before. But his name had never been in the same sentence. A knot of emotion choked his throat, and he leant over Hannibal's shoulder for comfort and support.

 

'Ssshhh' Hannibal hushed as silent tears wet his shoulder 'I'm proud of you, Will'.

 

Hannibal rocked Will in his arms, and Will let himself be embraced and caressed, because Hannibal was so warm and tender, and he had kept his promise, and there was nothing wrong in him, and even if there was, Hannibal still cherished him. The snaky belt disappeared with a hiss and in its stead a black liquorice candy twist grew.

 

It was so new, and so very exhausting, to feel this good, that Will closed his eyes and let Hannibal's gentle hum lull him to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, I think.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unforeseen event takes place in the Blue Room...

‘How do you like it?’ Hannibal asked as he opened the door of the Blue Room.

 

Will entered and frowned. The room that he had come to know so well in the last weeks was different now. The furniture had been arranged so that a trundle bed now occupied the left wall, and a new desk had been positioned by the window. The rest was the same- the toys, the colouring books and crayons, the alphabet posters and the ball pit.

 

‘W-why-?’ Will stammered, feeling anxious at the way his little paradise had changed, and for a moment he lost grasp of the stability he had worked so hard to build around this room.

 

‘I thought you might like to sleep here one day’ Hannibal said in a soft tone ‘Wouldn’t you like that?’

 

Will blinked confused. He had been dreaming about staying in the Blue Room forever, but now he was no longer sure. The room felt different now, and a light shiver made him tremble.   

 

‘I don’t like to sleep’ he said in a little voice ‘I’m scared of nightmares’.

 

Hannibal pressed a warm, calming hand on Will’s shoulder.

 

‘There are no nightmares here, Will’.

 

Will wanted very hard to believe that, but still he was wary when he sat down in the middle of the bed. The mattress dipped lightly under his weight, and he looked unseeingly at the soft, colourful cushions and pillows. There were new plush toys arranged in a row on the navy blue duvet, and one of them called his attention, a golden retriever puppy with a collar and a ‘ _W’_   tag around its neck. Will clutched it for comfort, and petted its head anxiously, feeling as shadows of the other world, his other life, slithered under the door of the room and began to whisper. Girls wrapped in paraffin cocoons. Women with ovaries. Men wielding machetes.

 

Will gasped as Hannibal sat by his side.

 

‘I know changes can be hard at first, Will, but you’ll have to trust me. Why don’t you play with _Wilbur_ while I prepare your cookies and milk?’

 

Will nodded absently, but didn’t move an inch from where he was sitting. He hugged _Wilbur_ fiercely, as if the toy dog could somehow protect him from the new environment and the inky shadows creeping around him.

 

‘It’s going to be alright’ he whispered, over and over again, rocking to and fro rhtythmically until Hannibal came back and it was time for his snack.

 

***

 

_Patient is still adapting to the changes in his room. The strict routine of scheduled activities is grounding him slowly back into his new reality, but he still avoids the bed, and what it represents, at all costs._

_Patient has finally bonded with a stuffed toy dog, which he carries with him at all times. He sits him on a chair while he has his milk, and gives him half of his cookie to eat. Patient speaks to the toy dog as if it were real, and the sense of comfort and trust is helping him to relax in his new environment._

_Extra positive reinforcement and rewards highly advised._

 

***

 

‘How’s Will doing?’ Alana asked over the phone ‘I met him yesterday after his lecture at the canteen and he seemed a bit… on edge’.

 

‘I’ve changed the focus of the therapy slightly’ Hannibal replied ‘It’ll take him a while to adjust, but he’s making good progress’.

 

‘So, you’re not pursuing the age regression angle anymore?’

 

‘No, it didn’t work after all. You were right, Alana’.

 

‘I’m glad to hear that. It’s an… unorthodox approach at best, and a pretty dangerous one at worst. I’ve always felt a cognitive-behavioural approach would benefit Will so much'.

 

‘That’s exactly what we’re doing now, Alana. I’m sure you’ll see results very soon’.

 

***

 

Friday afternoon came and Hannibal added 5 ml of Bethanechol in the milk. Will was stuck, he hadn't advanced as expected this week, and since wetting himself had worked so well the first time, Hannibal had no doubt that a second little accident will push him forward.

 

However, Hannibal wasn't expecting to find what he did when he opened the door of the Blue Room. Will was standing in the middle of the room wringing his hands nervously. _Wilbur_ was at his feet, slashed opened with the scalpel Hannibal used to sharpen his pencils, all the cotton inside the toy frayed on the foam mat.

 

Hannibal left the tray on Will's desk and crouched down to examine the toy dog. He picked his scalpel from where it had fallen on the mat and carefully put it in his jacket pocket.

 

'Will?' he softly asked 'What has happened here?'

 

'I'm sorry' Will whispered, swallowing thickly and biting his bottom lip so hard it almost bled.

 

Hannibal put all the stuffing cotton in a ball and looked at Will.

 

'Why did you do this?'

 

'I just wanted... needed to make sure...' Will sniffled 'that he had no ovaries inside'.

 

Hannibal looked at Will for a long moment.

 

'But he didn't' Will sobbed 'He was good, he wasn't a spy from the other world and now... Now he's dead' a tear rolled down his cheek.

 

The corners of Hannibal's eyes creased minutely.

 

'He's not dead, Will. I'll cure him. Would you like that?'

 

Will rubbed the tears with the back of his sleeve.

 

'Can- can you do that?'

 

'Of course I can. I'm a doctor, remember?'

 

Will nodded in earnest and waited impatiently as Hannibal returned to the Blue Room with a surgical suture kit. He sat down on the floor mat, and so did Will.

 

'Now. Help me patch him up. Put the cotton back inside him'.

 

Will obeyed, sniffling all the while as _Wilbur_ recovered his shape little by little.

 

'Very good' Hannibal praised taking the needle 'Now I'll sew him up and he'll be good as new'.

                                                                                                                               

'Will it hurt him?' Will anxiously asked grabbing Hannibal's hand before he began.

 

'No, Will. It'll feel like the sting of a mosquito. He won't notice it'.

 

Will nodded and watched mesmerized as Hannibal sewed up his best and only friend.

 

'Thank you' he murmured hugging Wilbur when Hannibal was done, and he rocked the toy in his arms lovingly.

 

'I think you should stay with him during the night' Hannibal said as he took the tray from the desk 'While he is convalescing'.

 

Will suddenly paled, and his lips trembled in fear.

 

'Are you going to take the food away because I've been bad?'

 

Hannibal frowned.

 

'No, Will. I would never do that. I only want to prepare a new glass of milk, this one just got warm. And I'll bring some special food for _Wilbur'_.

 

Will let out a shaky breath and kissed the toy dog on the head.

 

'You see?' he whispered 'This new daddy is very good. We can trust him'.

 

And as Hannibal closed the door behind him, a satisfied grin lit his face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so I thought this was going to be the final chapter but it seems Hannibal has other plans... ^^
> 
> I'd like to send my heartfelt thanks to [Nora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nora), who is translating this story into Chinese at www.mtslash.com I feel very honoured, and I hope the readers over there like it! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... and Will's therapy concludes.

'How is _Wilbur_ doing?' Hannibal asked as he entered the Blue Room.

 

Will had slipped the toy dog under the duvet, and was reading _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_ to him.

 

'Better' he said 'Thanks for baking that cupcake for him'.

 

Hannibal smiled warmly. The chocolate cupcake was half-eaten on a dish nearby, Will had given it a few bites secretly after his dinner.

 

'I'm sure he'll feel better in the morning' Hannibal said feeling the toy dog's forehead 'No fever, that's a good sign. But Will. Now it's time to sleep'.

 

Will shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other.

 

'It's very early' he whispered looking down at the foam mat.

 

'It's 8 p.m, Will. Time to sleep' Hannibal replied in a more firmer tone.

 

'Can I...? Can I watch some  TV first? Please?'

 

'There are no TVs here, Will. You know that'.

 

Will looked anxiously around him, trying to come up with another excuse to delay bedtime.

 

'Maybe when... when I finish the drawing... I--' Will moved to the desk and showed Hannibal a half-finished butterfly drawing he had started that afternoon.

 

'Will' Hannibal said raising an eyebrow 'Are you going to leave _Wilbur_ alone tonight? After what you did to him?'

 

Will's eyes filled with tears. He couldn't leave _Wilbur_ alone in the bed, he couldn't. But he was scared to death, he didn't know what dreams would come when he closed his eyes in his new room. The shadows disappeared when Hannibal was with him, but they returned with their hissing whispers the moment he left.

 

'Here's an idea' Hannibal suggested 'You'll clean your teeth, put on the pyjamas I bought for you and then I'll read you and _Wilbur_ a tale. What do you think?'

 

Will chewed the inner side of his cheek compulsively.

 

'Will you... Will you stay with me until I fall asleep?'

 

Hannibal caressed a stray lock of hair from Will's forehead.

 

'Of course. I'll sit on the rocking chair and I'll guard your sleep. I promise'.

 

Will nodded slowly and dragged his feet to the bathroom. The toothpaste tasted funny, like watermelon and strawberry, and his new pyjamas had boats and whales and anchors in a navy blue print. It was very warm, but still Will trembled in fear as he walked back to the Blue Room and Hannibal pulled the duvet off.

 

'Come on, Will' he encouraged, and Will left his glasses on the bedside table.

 

'What is that?' Will asked as he sat on the bed. The sheets rustled funnily when he moved, and even more so when he finally lay down.

 

'Oh, that's just the waterproof bedding. In case you have a little accident' Will's face turned red with the memory, but Hannibal continued in a reassuring tone 'But you won't tonight, Will. You'll see. Now, I think this is just right' Hannibal said picking a heavy book from the shelf. He moved the rocking chair close to Will's bed and sat down.

 

' _The Jungle Book,_ by Rudyard Kipling. I think we should start with--'

 

'I already know the tale of Mowgli' Will muttered 'He was a feral child raised by wolves in the Indian jungle with the help of Baloo and Bagheera. I lectured about the case of Danielle Crockett last year at the FBI academy, she had been locked in her room for the first seven years of her life. The newspapers called her _The Girl in the Window_ '.

 

Hannibal paused for a moment.

 

'Then I'll tell you another tale' he said moving to another chapter ' _Rikki-Tikki-Tavi,_ do you know that one?'

 

Will shook his head as he clutched _Wilbur_ close to his chest.

 

'It's the story of a young valiant mongoose who has been adopted by a new family. Look'.

 

Hannibal showed Will the plate that accompanied the tale, and a light frown creased Will's brow.

 

'Do they love him? Even though he's adopted?'

 

'They do. They love him very much, he's in charge of protecting the garden from cobras'.

 

Will seemed to think about that for a second.

 

'Then I'd like to hear that tale' he whispered, and Hannibal started reading.

 

 

***

 

Hannibal had to read through _Rikki-Tikki-Tavi_ , _The White Seal_ and almost half of _Toomai of the Elephants_ for Will to finally fall into an uneasy sleep. Not that he minded, of course. He was a very patient man, and he remembered those tales fondly.

 

He let go of Will's hand, which he had been holding for comfort, and put it under the duvet. The rocking chair creaked as he stood up, but Will didn't notice.

 

The clock in his office marked 9:17 p.m. when Hannibal retrieved a dropper from the medical cabinet hidden in his library. He tiptoed back into the Blue Room and left a drop drip on Will's lips. Will licked his lips instinctively when he felt the moisture there, and muttered something indistinctly in his sleep.

 

'Never doubt you are loved, my dear Will' Hannibal said kissing his forehead 'Never'.

 

And with that he locked the Blue Room and retired for the night.

 

***

 

Will spent twenty minutes looking at the ceiling when he woke up the following day. He checked his watch twice to believe it. 8:12 a.m. He had slept for almost twelve hours.

 

No nightmares. No night terrors. No visions, no hallucinations, nothing. Just... sleep.

 

So, this is what normal people got at night. Something that had eluded him for the past... how many months, _years_ even, had it been since he had slept more than a couple of restless, sweaty hours in a row?

 

'See?' _Wilbur_ whispered by his side 'There are no nightmares here'.

 

Will frowned and looked at the toy dog.

 

'You didn't have any nightmares?'

 

'No' _Wilbur_ replied 'Just as daddy said'.

 

Will nodded and licked his lips, tasting something sticky and sugary on them. It had to be the aftertaste of last night's funny toothpaste.

 

***

 

'Good morning' Hannibal greeted as Will entered the kitchen. Will had changed into his checked shirt and khaki pants, and looked half-confused and half-embarrassed 'Did you sleep well?'

 

'Well, yes. Amazing' he said as he scratched his nape in a nervous gesture.

 

'Take a seat, please. I was just preparing your breakfast'.

 

Will sat down and looked at the tastefully decorated mantelpiece. The smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted to his nose, and his stomach rumbled a little.

 

'I'm actually hungry' he admitted shyly, and Hannibal nodded.

 

'Excellent' he said placing a dish of star-shaped pancakes with two slices of strawberries for eyes and a syrup smile 'I hope you like them'.

 

Will frowned as Hannibal put a glass of chocolate milk by his side.

 

'Can I have a cup of coffee?'

 

'No coffee, Will' he replied in a firm tone 'Chocolate milk is better for you'.

 

Will looked down at the pancakes in disappointment, but then he heard the voice of _Wilbur_ coming from the Blue Room: _'You have to trust daddy'._

 

'OK' he whispered under his breath, and cut a bit of the pancake with the colourful plastic knife Hannibal had set on the table for him.

 

'Since it's Saturday, I thought we might meet again this afternoon. At about 4 p.m.?'

 

Will frowned confused.

 

'But what am I going to do until then?' he blurted out.

 

Hannibal sat down in front of him and drank from his cup of coffee.

 

'I don't know. What do you usually do on Saturday mornings?'

 

Will shrugged.

 

'I... I buy stuff. From the supermarket'.

 

Hannibal nodded.

 

'Then you can do that. I have some errands to run as well, so you can tell me about your day when we meet at 4 p.m. Now' Hannibal said before Will could open his mouth to complain 'Finish your breakfast. You won't leave until you've eaten it all up'.

 

***

 

The supermarket was packed with people, as it always was on Saturdays. It was noisy, and loud, and it smelled of disinfectant and stale popcorn. Will knew these people from the other world; Maggie the check-out girl, Mrs. Childress selling groceries and Pete at the news-stand. They said _'Hello'_  and talked to Will, but he couldn't very well understand what they were saying. Something about the weather changing and storm clouds bringing rain? But it didn't make sense, because it was always warm in the Blue Room, warm and nice with sun to grow lima beans and play with the Lego bricks. Will smiled to all these well meaning ghosts and drove home.

 

His dogs greeted him with barks and paws and many tongues, and Will fed them as usual. There was something wrong with one of them, though. Winston's belly had no scar at all, and Will was sure to have put one there. He frowned in confusion.  Should he slash Winston open again so that daddy could sew him up? Will opened one of the kitchen drawers and got a knife, but then it hit him. Winston was not his dog; actually, this was not his home. This was the other world, full of paraffin cocoons and women with ovaries and men with machetes who sliced them open. And if he remained here he would have to play by those rules and do exactly that, to Maggie, to Mrs. Childress and to so many more.

 

But all Will wanted was to go home, to his room, where he could sleep without nightmares and hear tales about mongooses and draw butterflies with Wilbur.

 

After a long moment of listening to the shadows, Will dropped the kitchen knife, picked his car keys and drove away.

 

***

 

_W  returned at 10:37 a.m., and he was so ecstatic when he entered the Blue Room that he threw himself into the ball pit, laughing and playing there for a long time. He buried his toy dog under the balls and rescued him afterwards, and then hid some Lego bricks in the pit and went on a treasure hunt with Wilbur._

 

_A little later he built a pillow fortress with the cushions and pillows of the bed; and W played as if he were the king of the castle and the plush dog a knight in shiny armour challenging him to a jousting._

 

_W  was overexcited and exhilarated when lunch time came, but still he managed to eat his dippy eggs with soldiers and fruit puree. He will need the energy, as The Lion King starts at 2 p.m._

 

 

***

 

'He quit' Jack fumed over the phone 'I found his resignation letter on my desk this morning'.

 

'I know' Hannibal calmly replied.

 

'No reasons, no motives- would you care to explain that?'

 

'Well, I hardly think I'm the right person to explain Will's actions'.

 

'You're his psychiatrist _and_ friend' Jack said in an accusing tone.

 

'My point exactly' Hannibal retorted 'I'll only say that Will's therapy has made him re-evaluate his priorities. And he is a happier man now'.

 

'I don't care about happiness, Dr. Lecter' Jack angrily said 'Will's the best profiler in the FBI and I will not see his talent go to waste because of some misplaced therapeutic advice'.

 

'What exactly are you implying?'

 

'I'm not implying anything, damn it, I'm saying that Will hasn't been himself since he started his therapy with you and that--'

 

'I'm afraid this conversation has come to an end, Jack. Good afternoon' Hannibal said, and hung up the phone.

 

 

***

 

 _Sundays with daddy are my favourite day of the week. Today we went to the Natural History Museum and then we attended a performance of_ The Magic Flute _at the Opera. I wish it could always be Sunday because I hate Mondays. I hate going into the other world alone, but then daddy explained to me it was important that such a talented boy like myself had an interesting job- and that if he fixes the minds of his patients, I could also fix boat engines in the mornings. It's not very difficult, and I quite like it. Mr. McAnders, the owner of the boat shop, is a nice man, and he is always telling stories about his times as a tuna fisherman._

_Sometimes, Dr. Bloom and Mr. Crawford come to see me. Daddy says I should always be polite with them, because they care about me, especially Dr. Bloom. We go to the cafeteria during my break and they have a coffee and ask me questions. I never drink coffee, though, daddy says that's for grown-ups. I always order an orange juice._

_Dr. Bloom was sad to hear I had taken the dogs to a shelter, but as daddy says, I couldn't save each and every stray I found. I had to start looking after myself. Dr. Bloom smiled when I said that, and congratulated me for leading a healthier, more stable life now. Mr. Crawford seemed upset all the while, but he said goodbye with a strong handshake. He' is a very angry ghost, and I'm still afraid of him. Sometimes he appears in my dreams and I have a little accident at night, but daddy changes the sheets and never punishes me for it._

_He punished me once, though, when I stole his scalpel to make sure Wilbur was not a spy from the other world. Daddy said good boys had to behave properly, so he gave me a ruled notebook and a junior fountain pen to write fifty times:_ I will not play with daddy's scalpel.

_I don't like the fountain pen very much, but daddy is teaching me to use it in the calligraphy classes on Mondays. Then Tuesdays and Thursdays is French, because he says a well educated boy must know the language, and on Wednesday he's teaching me to play the harpsichord. Fridays are free, although sometimes we go to James Taylor & Son to collect our made to measure suits. At first I found the new clothes uncomfortable, but now I like them very much. I look like daddy in them, and that makes me feel good._

_And for my birthday last week he baked a chocolate cake in the shape of Wilbur! Isn't he the best daddy in the world?_

_I love him so much._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... and I hope you liked this final chapter, folks! Thanks so much for all your support and comments while I was writing this story, they have meant the world to me! ^^


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